Black History Month Spotlight: Daniel Pintard

Class of 2025

Major

Biology

Why did you choose to attend Marymount?

I transferred to Marymount in my sophomore year of college. There are two reasons why — the first being that the DMV area is filled to the brim with opportunities for me professionally, with Manassas known as a biotechnology hotspot. Second, Marymount offered a lot more research opportunities than my previous institution, which was very enticing to me. 

What is your desired career path?

After graduation, I am aiming to get my Ph.D. in bioinformatics. I hope to someday be a professor of bioinformatics at an institution or hold a senior scientist role at a biotech company. 

What are you involved in outside of class?

I conduct research with Dr. Susan Agolini and Dr. Shama Iyer. Our lab is concerned with studying the secretory carrier associated membrane protein (SCAMP) family and surmising the role it may play in muscular dystrophy.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

Although I am a U.S. citizen, I was not raised in the U.S. So, Black History Month serves as an ideal opportunity for me to learn about the history of African Americans and it has made me realize that Black History is an intrinsic aspect of American History. It has made me cognizant of the history of other demographic groups that have had little to no mainstream attention. 

How are you celebrating Black History Month this year?

I have recently been exploring a lot of James Baldwin’s work, which I think is a great way to celebrate African-American literature.